Category Archives: Lori McKenna

WINS BEST COUNTRY SONG AT 59TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS & SONG OF THE YEAR AT THE 50TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS PERFORMS “HUMBLE & KIND” ON “THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT” NEW SOLO ALBUM THE BIRD & THE RIFLE OUT NOW Lori McKenna made history this weekend winning Songwriter of the Year at the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards. This is the first time a woman has ever been honored with the award. The accolade culminates a series of breakthrough years for the critically praised singer, songwriter and performer, who recently won Best Country Song for her solo-penned, No. 1 hit “Humble & Kind” (Tim McGraw) at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. This is the second consecutive year she has won the award following last year’s win for “Girl Crush” (co-written with Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey). She is the first songwriter to win back-to-back awards in the category since Shania Twain in 1999-2000. Moreover, McKenna also won Song of the Year at The 50th Annual CMA Awards. She is the first songwriter to win the award in consecutive years since Vince Gill (1991-1993) and is the first female songwriter to win back-to-back nods in the history of the CMAs. McKenna is also the first solo songwriter to win the award since 2011. In addition to the recent awards, McKenna recently made her late night television debut on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” performing “Humble & Kind.” Watch the full performance HERE. McKenna’s own version of “Humble & Kind” appears on her Grammy-nominated new album, The Bird & The Rifle, which is out now on CN Records via Thirty Tigers (purchase here). Produced by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton), the album was recorded live over ten days in Nashville and has received overwhelming critical praise. NPR Music calls it “one of 2016’s best releases,” while Pitchfork asserts, “one of the most accomplished and devastating singer-songwriter albums of the year,” and The Washington Post declares, “the best-sounding album of McKenna’s 15-year recording career.” People Magazine recently premiered a stripped-down acoustic video of McKenna performing “Humble & Kind.” Watch HERE. Additionally, “CBS News Sunday Morning” recently profiled the acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer. View the full piece HERE. LORI MCKENNA CONFIRMED TOUR DATES April 5—Somerville, MA—Once Ballroom – Multi-Artist ACLU Benefit April 9—Lexington, MA—Cary Memorial Hall April 15—Aspen, CO—Wheeler Opera House July 7—Boston, MA—TD Garden* July 8—Boston, MA—TD Garden* *SOUL2SOUL Tour with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

BACK-TO-BACK “SONG OF THE YEAR” NOMINATIONS FOR THE ACCLAIMED SINGER-SONGWRITER – NEW ALBUM THE BIRD & THE RIFLE OUT NOW Lori McKenna’s “Humble & Kind” is nominated for “Song of the Year” at “The 50th Annual CMA Awards.” Recorded and taken to No. 1 by Tim McGraw, “Humble & Kind” is the first song penned by a solo songwriter to be nominated for “Song of the Year” since 2012. The awards show will broadcast live on ABC on Wednesday, November 2 at 8/7pm CST. McKenna wrote the song alone at home while her kids were at school—a loving attempt to impart wisdom, layered over three chords. “I can say it’s one of my favorite songs, mostly because I had my kids in my head the whole time I was trying to write it,” she says. “My kids know that it’s theirs, and it’s nice in that way. It worked out pretty good.” In addition to being recorded by McGraw, “Humble & Kind” appears on McKenna’s acclaimed tenth studio album, The Bird & The Rifle, which is out now on CN Records via Thirty Tigers (purchase here). Produced by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton), the album was recorded live over ten days in Nashville and has received overwhelming critical praise. NPR Music calls it, “one of 2016’s best releases,” while Pitchfork asserts, “one of the most accomplished and devastating singer-songwriter albums of the year,” and The Washington Post declares, “the best-sounding album of McKenna’s 15-year recording career.” In celebration of the release, McKenna is currently in the midst of a nationwide headlining tour—her first since 2013. See below for complete details. Today’s nomination follows last year’s breakout hit “Girl Crush” (penned by McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey), which went on to win “Song of the Year” at the CMA Awards and “Best Country Song” at the Grammy Awards. THE BIRD & THE RIFLE TRACK LIST 1. Wreck You (Lori McKenna/Felix McTeigue) 2. The Bird & The Rifle (Lori McKenna/Caitlyn Smith/Troy Verges) 3. Giving Up On Your Hometown (Lori McKenna) 4. Halfway Home (Lori McKenna/Barry Dean) 5. Humble & Kind (Lori McKenna) 6. We Were Cool (Lori McKenna) 7. Old Men Young Women (Lori McKenna/Luke Laird/Barry Dean) 8. All These Things (Lori McKenna/Liz Rose) 9. Always Want You (Lori McKenna/Liz Rose/Hillary Lindsey) 10. If Whiskey Were A Woman (Lori McKenna) LORI MCKENNA “WRECK YOU” TOUR September 9—Northampton, MA—Iron Horse September 10—Ogunquit, ME—Jonathan’s September 20-25—Nashville, TN—AmericanaFest 2016 October 12—San Antonio, TX—Tobin Center for the Arts October 13—Austin, TX—One World Theater October 14—Houston, TX—Dosey Doe October 15—Dallas, TX—Kessler Theatre October 21—Los Angeles, CA—Hotel Café

LORI MCKENNA’S THE BIRD & THE RIFLE RELEASES TO WIDESPREAD ACCLAIM ALBUM PRODUCED BY DAVE COBB – ON TOUR NOW Lori McKenna’s anticipated new album, The Bird & The Rifle, is out today on CN Records via Thirty Tigers (purchase here). Produced by Grammy Award-wining producer Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton), The Bird & The Rifle is already receiving widespread and overwhelming critical acclaim… “…one of 2016’s best releases”—NPR Music “one of the most accomplished and devastating singer-songwriter albums of the year.”— Pitchfork “a delicately arranged, beautifully rendered collection of songs that highlight her narrative approach to songwriting.”—The Guardian “…together they achieve a nostalgic collection of folk-country songs filled with vivid imagery and honest, authentic lyrics.”—Associated Press “the best-sounding album of McKenna’s 17-year recording career.”—The Washington Post “one of the best songwriters in country music right now.”—Newsday “one of country music’s top singer-songwriters”—Billboard In celebration of the release, McKenna is currently in the midst of a nationwide headlining tour—her first since 2013. The tour includes a special sold-out show tonight at Nashville’s City Winery and future stops at New York’s City Winery on August 4, Boston’s The Sinclair on August 13 and L.A.’s Hotel Café on October 21, among others. See below for complete details. The Bird & The Rifle includes ten original songs, including McKenna’s own version of “Humble & Kind,” which was recently taken to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts by Tim McGraw––the first time in more than four years a song written by one person has topped the charts (the last was Taylor Swift’s “Ours”). Read more about the remarkable accomplishment via Billboard. Of the song, McKenna comments, “I can say it’s one of my favorite songs, mostly because I had my kids in my head the whole time I was trying to write it. My kids know that it’s theirs, and it’s nice in that way. It worked out pretty well.” She adds of working with Cobb, “This record was made in a way that’s very different from anything else I’ve ever done. It’s very much me––this record and the songs. But it’s like I took the ten songs and just got in someone else’s car and took a ride down the coast. I completely plugged into the world of Dave Cobb.” Additionally, Cobb remarks, “I really wanted to work with Lori because of the truth and honesty she carries with her pen. I love her wit and humor and the fact she writes her own songs purely for the sake of art.” The Bird & The Rifle is McKenna’s tenth studio album and follows 2014’s acclaimed Numbered Doors, which Rolling Stone named one of the 40 Best Country Albums of 2014. Throughout her prolific career, McKenna has consistently received widespread critical acclaim, including notice from American Songwriter, Paste, CMT, The New York Times and The Boston Globe, who described 2011’s Lorraine as, “13 perfectly crafted gems of observational insight” and Country Weekly who calls her “one of Continue reading Lori McKenna’s “The Bird & The Rifle” releases widespread acclaim→